Page 10 of Wish For Me

“Not thinking about it until tonight, remember?” Leo murmurs in my ear.

“How do you know I was thinking about it?”

“Because I know you. And you have a shit poker face.”

“The twins are just settling in at school,” I say softly, looking over at where my little sister and brother are laughing with Cade and Vega. “He’s trying to hide it, but I know the adjustment hasn’t been easy for Ash.”

Leo doesn’t say anything, just squeezes my leg tighter. “Will and Eva are having another baby soon. River and Jas are talking about trying for another, too. Poppy will besixby the time we get back.” I watch my niece smearing red and blue frosting together and feel a stab of pain at her mischievous little smile and sparkly eyes. “I need to teach her all the ways to drive her daddy insane.”

He doesn’t argue with me, and guilt gathers in my belly. He’s being so great about all of this. For a lot of people, an opportunity like this would be a no-brainer. Those same people would probably call me hopelessly co-dependent on my family for even hesitating.

But Leo never, ever would. And if that isn’t reason enough to follow him halfway around the globe, I don’t know what is.

Whatever we decide, we’re going to be together. And that’s all that matters.

“Rosie?” River asks. “You okay?”

“Sure,” I say, doing my best to paste a big smile on my face. My brother doesn’t look convinced but before he can press me further, there’s an outcry from the other side of the room.

“What the hell is that?” Aunt Paige demands, standing behind my uncle Lennon with her hands on her hips.

“It’s a little rock star man,” he explains.

“It’s supposed to be a Santa Claus cookie!”

He shrugs. “I know, but I thought it would be fun to do this one a little different. See, I gave him blue jeans instead of a red suit and the pack on his back is a guitar case.”

“Nice, dude,” Cash says, leaning over to look at the cookie. “I’m making one like that.”

“No you are not!” Paige snaps. “That cookie shape is Santa, not a guitar man.”

“But the shape totally works, Paige,” Lennon says. “Look, I even gave him red shoes.”

“To match the chucks you always wear,” Cash says, nodding in approval. “Nice. I’ll give mine black Vans.”

“You’re not making another guitar man!” Paige insists.

“Wait, we’re making guitar men?” Silas asks, coming over with Nix and Lyric. “Sweet! Hey, you could make his hat brown, it kind of looks like a dude with long hair tied back.”

“I don’t know.” Lennon squints down. “I think it would look more like an eighties hair band situation with the way it sticks up.”

“Eighties hair bands were legit,” Silas says. “We need to give him a leather jacket and skinny jeans.”

Paige looks like she’s ready to confiscate their decorating supplies. She turns a glare on her husband. “Do something!”

He shrugs. “Babe, I gave up on trying to make them act like mature grownups a hell of a long time ago.”

“I think the guitar men are kind of nice,” my mom says diplomatically. “I bet the staff at the label will think they’re cool.”

“Don’t encourage their behavior,” Aunt Paige snaps. “They’re just doing this to annoy me.” She points at Uncle Cash. “You!”

He holds up his hands. “I’m not even the one that made it! It was Lennon.”

“I bet you put him up to it.”

“Why the hell do you think I put him up to it?”

“Because it’sLennon. He’s the sweet and innocent one. And you’re a bad influence.”